There seems to be no doubt that Michael Jackson is the King of Pop. This indisputable fact has seeped into popular consciousness to the point where there can be no serious pretenders to the throne. But there are a number of super-talented superstars who’ve laid claim to the Queen of Pop title. To some, Madonna may seem like the obvious choice, but what about current Queen Beyonce? And let’s not forget the unrivaled sales records of divas like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. From iconic images of Britney Spears dancing in a high school hallway to Lady Gaga‘s way-out styles, each generation has their own favorite pop duchess. But there has never been a definitive crowning of a Queen— until now. Welcome to VH1′s Pop Queen Faceoff, a multi-week voting bracket that aims to settle the debate once and for all. Read on to meet our competitors!

Before the iPod and every other Apple product took over the world, we were able to engage in the magical experience and staple of the ’90s: CD shopping. And buying CDs wasn’t like taking part in any other purchase, simply because it was life changing. We’re here to help you remember why.

It’s rare that we like a remix of a song better than the original. Remixes can sometimes change our favorite songs to pumping club bangers that are more headache inducing than anything else, and can often destroy an already superior track with dub step breakdowns. But from time to time, a remix comes along that’s so good it puts a song on the map. That’s right: there are some unique instances where a remix has actually been better than the original song. Some of these remixes are even responsible for turning sleepers into iconic hit songs.

R. Kellyknows that a remix can keep a song hot and fresh out the kitchen. Britney Spearsknows that a remix can drive you crazy. Jagged Edge knows that the power of Run DMC is life altering. Even Beyonce knows that to make a song truly flawless, sometimes a remix is the ticket. While not every remix of a song is a home run, read on to find out which remixed songs were so good they eclipsed the original.

Many artists are deep inside the music industry before the masses ever learn their names. Sometimes, future stars are hiding in plain sight while performing in mid-level music groups. Before Pink hit fame in 2000, she was in a girl group called Choice that was signed to LaFace Records. R. Kelly had hits with his group, Public Announcement, and Bjork was an indie rocker in the Sugarcubes before becoming an electronic phenomenon. Which other acts left bands behind to embark on successful solo careers? Read on for more!

With “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swiftdebuting at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Ariana Grande’s sophomore album, My Everything, set to take the top spot of the album charts, it’s safe to say Max Martin is back on top. Though, it’s not like he exactly went anywhere. Easily one of the most prolific writers of the past 20 years, the Swedish music producer is responsible for some of the biggest hits by Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Kelly Clarkson. Most recently, he’s extended his magic touch to Grande, Swift and a host of other new artists that are hoping to add to Martin’s 18 number one hits.

With so much attention on his latest hits, we went through his entire writing and production catalog to pick out his 15 best hits. These songs range from country to pop, happy to sad and everything in between.

When it comes to conveying sexual innuendo, our favorite modern day artists sure have a knack for thinking outside the box. Pun intended. Singers like Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey have made the least sexy scenarios imaginable ooze sex. And until Miley Cyrus experienced her sexual awakening, our naive souls actual thought a wrecking ball was just used for construction work. How wrong we were…